


one final shoulder, here before we're none

by PapaElijah



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Canonical Character Death, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Death, Elijah Mikaelson-centric, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Prompt Fill, also like season five spoilers, and also my trauma, angst angst angst, double suicide, exploring elijah's trauma, just a lot of sad eli everywhere uwu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27513814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PapaElijah/pseuds/PapaElijah
Summary: Niklaus's hand finds his own, thumb brushing over his knuckles, giving a faint smile, and Elijah knows things could've been different, that there's so much more out for him, but he also knows that he wouldn't have lived his life any differently because he loves his brother, and ever since Mother and Father stole their lives, he'd spent centuries saving Niklaus from himself. But now, he has nothing left.(Or, a one-shot based on the ending of The Originals, in which Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson sacrifice themselves for their family, and with their lives, the vow they swore to one another a thousand years ago is finally brought to an end).
Relationships: Elijah Mikaelson & Klaus Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson/Klaus Mikaelson, Hayley Marshall & Elijah Mikaelson, Hayley Marshall/Elijah Mikaelson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	one final shoulder, here before we're none

**Author's Note:**

> this is written for the ‘always and forever’ and ‘sacrifices’ prompt from [xxwritemeastoryxx’s](https://xxwritemeastoryxx.tumblr.com/) two-year blogiversary bingo on tumblr! i'm so sorry for not posting in a while lol, but anyways, i hope you enjoy this <3

_i._

_Is this how you thought your life would be?_ The words are almost lyrical, the sound tearing at his throat, half-darkness and the rich smell of wine bringing back memories of stolen kisses in the dark and the starscape in Hayley's eyes. Elijah holds the photograph in his shaking hands, his pulse rising the same way it had the day he stood beside Eve in the woods, watching her drinking and laughing with Kenner like everything they felt for each other meant nothing to her, like _he_ meant nothing to her.

He smiles weakly, tears staining his cheeks, his heart cracking open; he doesn’t recognise the man in the photo, but there he is, laughing brightly, an arm around Hayley’s shoulder—it’s one of the happiest memories he doesn’t have. He brushes away the dust screening the grainy, wrinkled paper, shivering, trembling, stale breaths puffing past his lips as he sniffles, trying to memorise her face because he knows it's the last time he'll ever see her again before he dies, before he gives himself up one last time. _You're a Mikaelson_ , he reminds himself. _Act like one._

_ii._

They dine as a family once more, drinking wine and celebrating his brother’s life, sharing old stories from throughout the millennia and burning their final wishes in a blaze of fire. _How did things go so wrong?_ Niklaus chokes out a sob, pulling his daughter in for a hug, strong in a way Elijah had never been, never enough to walk away, knowing this is the last they’d see each other.

He pretends to accept this fate for the sake of his brother, but he can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Even though he's glad, he's happy—he’s waited for this longer than any of them know. Every waking second of his life spent wishing things were different, a reality where he isn’t burdened by a vow that’s left him broken, a moment in time where Hayley isn’t dead and it isn’t his fault and her daughter doesn’t hate him and his family doesn’t think he’s a _coward_. 

_iii._

The sky is dark and low, the air so chilled it hurts to breathe. Rebekah holds Niklaus tight, crying into his jacket, struggling to find the words to thank him for giving her the life she’s always wanted. The sharp shadows of lampposts fade into the dark of the sidewalk, the colours muted, subdued in the washed-out light. Elijah clutches his hands together across from his sister, as if wanting to do the same but unwilling to make such a gesture. He smiles weakly through the tears, and she wraps her arms around him in a rib-crushing hug. 

There’s no need to say anything—it’s over. And it feels like years till they find the strength to let her walk away, back to the compound, tell the rest of them they’re gone, they’re never coming back. It's happening too fast, he's supposed to have more time—

_iv._

Elijah hadn't thought it would hurt so much to do this, but he pulls the stake from inside his suit, avoiding his brother’s eyes as he snaps it in half, tiny splinters flying through the air, and it finally dawns on Niklaus what he plans to do as he sits beside him on the bench, staring at the ground. The silence speaks more than words ever could, and suddenly, he’s just this old, weathered vampire trying his hardest to be strong for his little brother, like he’s always done, like he’s always had to do.

It happens before he can stop it—his eyes go blurry, his breathing scatters, he can’t speak, can’t see. He sucks in a breath, trying to come back to the present, seeing lights all around him, tasting tar in the back of his mouth. And then Niklaus’s hand finds his own, thumb brushing over his knuckles, giving a faint smile, and Elijah knows things could’ve been different, that there’s so much more out for him, but he also knows that he wouldn’t have lived his life any differently because he loves his brother, and ever since Mother and Father stole their lives, he’d spent centuries saving Niklaus from himself. But now, he has nothing left.

_v._

He never imagined it would end like this. Under the stars of a city they'd built together, home to decades of bloodshed and war and love and family. Elijah stares at his brother’s torn and grieved face, both of them holding stakes to each other’s hearts, skin fading to grey, withering, decaying, flames leaping out to devour them— _What if there’s nothing after this, no peace, just… darkness?_ —the wind picking up as if it knew, carrying their ashes far, far away— _Then we face it together, as always_ —a thousand years lifting off his shoulders as the world fades into nothing. It's almost poetic—two brothers, torn apart by betrayal, anger, loyalty, mistakes and broken promises, honouring a vow made in a village long forgotten, giving themselves up for a better future. 

_vi._

Freya and Keelin would start a family with Vincent, Marcel and Rebekah would find happiness with the promise of a human life for his baby sister, Kol and Davina would get married and have their perfect ending, and while it would hurt to watch Hope carry the burden of the family name and spend days wishing for another life, they'd all move on. They'd be okay. 

He knows they've fought so hard to love and protect the people they love, they deserve this, and he can never think that without adding a _so did I_ , but this is what he chose. Everyone will remember the great Klaus Mikaelson, the hybrid, the killer, the bastard, but they'll all forget about his brother—the one who hoped for something better, and fought for it when no one else would. But that's the price of _Always and Forever, Family Above All_ , and he deserves nothing less.

**Author's Note:**

> comments mean the absolute world to me and thank you for having such a high tolerance for my teen angst jsadlfjsdklfj, you can also find me on [tumblr](https://dumble-daddy.tumblr.com/) if you want lol haha jk unless?


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